🏡 Home of The Week: 924 Bolling Ave

This week I wanted to find a house that needs help, meaning I wanted to find a home that has been loved for decades but lost its way over the years and needs to be restored and reimagined.

This house has been in the same family since 1957 and, sadly, was purchased by a corporation this past July for $260,000. I don't like corporations owning single-family homes.

So why do I like this home? Simple, its location in Belmont to downtown is amazing. You could build a garage in the back and add an ADU over it to rent out to an artist. Take the ramp out of the front yard and add a white picket fence. Make the inside scream, “I’M A BEAUTIFUL COTTAGE!”

What's happening next door, though? Well, in 2023 the house was torn down, then the lot was sold for $291k, and now they're building a 2-story home with a basement and garage with a 1-bedroom ADU on top. Once completed, the home will bring value to the neighborhood, but only if you make 924 Bolling Ave a beautiful cottage.

• Details: 2 Bedroom - 1 Bathroom - 1,073 Sqft

• Status: 71 Days on the Market

• Price: Asking $274,900

• Listed by KW Alliance Charlottesville

View The Home →

📰 What I’m Following: The Charlottesville Zoning Lawsuit

The zoning lawsuit is heading toward resolution after the plaintiffs agreed to drop their case in exchange for the city conducting traffic studies. At the October 20 City Council meeting, City Attorney John Maddux announced that the plaintiffs came to the city asking to settle with the same offer they had rejected over the summer: if they drop the suit, the city will conduct the studies the plaintiffs claimed weren't done.

This is a big deal. The new zoning ordinance, which took effect in February 2024, allowed for more residential density throughout the city, something officials hoped would open up affordable housing opportunities.

The lawsuit got messy this past summer when the city's outside attorney missed a filing deadline, causing Judge Claude Worrell to void the entire zoning code. Though the judge later reversed course and set a trial date for September 2026, the damage was done—development applications were frozen and affordable housing projects were left in limbo.

City Attorney Maddux told the council that going to trial would cost over $650,000, making the settlement a smart financial move that would bring stability to the development community. More importantly, it means the upzoning rules that allow for more diverse housing types throughout Charlottesville will remain in place, exactly what the city needs to help address its housing crisis.

📈 The Local Market: A Halloween Lull

The numbers are telling an interesting story this week: inventory is down across the board, but don't read too much into it just yet. In Charlottesville, we had 516 homes listed this time last week, and we're sitting at 496 now. That drop is most likely due to the holiday throwing off our usual patterns (it always does), so next week's data should give us a clearer picture.

What's striking to me is how flat everything feels. The weeks aren't spiking with activity; they're just fluctuating within a narrow range. And by normal, I don't mean healthy, I mean predictable in its stagnation. A truly normal market would show more balance between listings and buyers, but we're still dealing with low supply and sluggish buyer demand this time of year.

It's the kind of market where patience matters more than ever, both for buyers waiting for the right opportunity and sellers timing their listing for maximum impact.

Charlottesville Area

• Homes Listed This Week: 41 (Last Week: 29)

• Median Sold Price: $530,476 (Last Week: $580,000)

• Months of Inventory: 3.08 (Last Week: 3.63)

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Augusta County, Waynesboro & Staunton

• Homes Listed This Week: 36 (Last Week: 54)

• Median Sold Price: $363,000 (Last Week: $345,000)

• Months of Inventory: 2.40 (Last Week: 2.24)

Today’s Rate: 6.37% (30 Yr. fixed conventional) | Last Week: 6.19%

🎧 What I’m Listening To: Build with Leila Hormozi

I've been binge-listening to the Build with Leila Hormozi podcast lately, and honestly, it's been a game-changer for how I think about growing my business. Leila breaks down complex business concepts in a way that actually makes sense—no fluff, just practical advice you can implement right away.

What I love most is how she talks about systems and processes. As someone working in real estate, hearing her perspective on building sustainable growth has me rethinking how I approach everything from client communication to my newsletter strategy. She's brutally honest about what works and what doesn't, and that's refreshing.

If you're looking for a podcast that will push you to think bigger about your business without all the typical entrepreneur hype, give it a listen. Fair warning though, you'll probably end up with a notebook full of ideas you want to implement immediately.

Listen Here →

💡 My Final Thoughts: A Tip for 2026 Sellers

I've had a couple of sellers reach out recently wanting to list their homes, and here's what I'm telling them: wait until January or February of 2026.

I know that sounds counterintuitive, but listing during the holidays when buyers are distracted with family and travel doesn't do you any favors. Come the new year, you'll have serious buyers who are ready to move, tax refunds starting to hit accounts, and that "fresh-start" energy that gets people to finally make big decisions.

Plus, your home won't be competing with decorated mantels and Christmas trees in listing photos; it'll stand on its own merit when buyers are actually focused. Patience pays off, and a few extra weeks can mean thousands more in your pocket.